Member Reviews

This book was all about the characters for me. They were all great and had distinctive voices. Dizzy was my favorite from the start. I liked how the story felt both magical and familiar. It was a long but not too long book. The story just sort of flowed along nicely.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Ill give you the sun is my favorite young adult novel so I had incredibly high hopes for this book which I think ultimately made my standards too high. It was beautifully written and very compelling but at times I felt like the plot was a bit over wrought. Still absolutely worth the read and very exciting to have a new Jandy Nelson book in the world.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you for providing this galley. I was very excited to receive and review it!

I didn't, however, as i was very disappointed in it and didn't finish. It's why I won't publish a review:
- The themes, characters, tone felt too similar to her previous books
- It felt despressing to read, didn't want to come back to read it
- Her observations of human behavior, I usually love, felt done already
- Nothing felt new or fresh
- It was too long and sprawling, the plot felt all over the place. I felt like she needed to be edited better. The novel, if it lost a hundred pages or so, could have been more compelling

I hope she'll cover some new themes/break out of "sameness" for her next novel. If so, I'll definitely read!

Was this review helpful?

Life has a funny way with connections. Sometimes you wonder why and how so much is taking place and then suddenly you realize how each thing is somehow connected to the others. That is the beauty of this book.
In a quaint town called Paradise Falls, the Fall family are living their lives, connected because they’re a family but mostly disjointed. Mom, Bernadette, is a chef and owner of a bistro; 19 year old Wynton is a violinist virtuous who’s a screw up in the rest of his life; 17 year old Miles is perfect, 12 year old Dizzy is optimistic and imaginative; and Uncle Clive is an alcoholic. And then there’s the rainbows haired girl who might be an angel or a saint or just an ordinary girl, but whatever she is, she might be the key to put this family back together.
Jandy Nelson has written a beautiful teen novel filled with worries and problems most kids have. In addition to that though, she also adds a bit of magic, a bit of synesthesia, and a whole lot of love.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an advanced copy of this. I’m sorry it took me so long to get to. When the World Tips over hit the shelves on September 24th.

Was this review helpful?

This was such a delightful, engrossing and beautiful read.

The story is told from multiple view points which initially feel almost overwhelmingly disparate but come together in a beautiful symphony as the connections between the characters unfold. I loved the epic, multigenerational reach of the narrative, and the almost fairytale quality of the early story.

The characters were rich and intriguing with unique perspectives and experiences. The prose had a lyrical, poetic quality and I really enjoyed getting lost in this story. It’s the first book I have read by Jandy Nelson, and I look forward to picking up their others.

Thank you Penguin Group for an early copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

Was this review helpful?

when the world tips over by jandy nelson is a captivating, thought-provoking novel that blends romance, family dynamics, and the search for identity. the story follows its protagonist as they navigate complex relationships, personal growth, and the challenges of being caught between different worlds. nelson’s writing is poetic and filled with emotional nuance, capturing the delicate balance between longing and self-discovery. while the book touches on heavy themes, it does so with a sense of tenderness, allowing the reader to connect deeply with the characters' journeys. it's a beautifully written exploration of love, loss, and finding your place in a changing world.

Was this review helpful?

3.5 rounded to 4

A hard book to review. While I adored Jandy Nelson's writing, and the warm-hearted generosity that shines through the magic, this book seemed too long, and a bit like a kaleidoscope that never quite comes together. The entire middle section seemed almost incoherent, breathlessly at high pitch At! All! Times! with all the superlatives, and very wordy for a story about a family that never talks to one another, then (like a Victorian novel) suddenly spills everything around the possible death bed of a character.

Everything comes up roses so easily, but not always believably; I especially disliked how Lizard's cruel betrayal of Dizzy is just swept under the rug because of sexual attraction.

Was this review helpful?

I am more or less 0/3 with this author so I think I am done. I know everyone says the writing style is beautiful but this felt like such a chore for me to get through. I didn’t enjoy it at all, although I can see how some might. Not for me.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this so much. I have been waiting for this book to be released for so long and I am so happy that it is finally out and I was able to finally read it. I'll Give You the Sun was my favorite book for many many years and this book had all the same elements and I loved it for all the same reasons I fell in love with I'll Give You the Sun the first time I read it. I loved every one of the Fall siblings and each of their unique love stories and unique lives. I loved the confusing and messy family dynamic that is in place up until the very end where everything falls into place like puzzle pieces. This book was such a joy to read, each character was so fun and so interesting in their own way I couldn't pick a favorite. My one small complaint about this book is that it is kind of long. I loved every second of it and since I did most of my reading with the audiobook it was easy to fall into the story and it didn't feel too long to me at all but I could see how some of the long chapters about their family history could tend to drag at times if you weren't 100% locked in. I loved all the tie ins from their family history and their mother's diary and the newspaper articles etc. Every single detail of this book felt like it was crafted with such care, no element was overlooked. I wish we were able to spend a little more time with Wynton when he was awake just because I would have loved to be able to dive as deep into his past and his personality like we did with the other siblings but I also liked all the symbolism of him being the one stuck in a coma and I did like to get the short chapters from his perspective when he was still slightly lucid listening to Cassidy and his family. I loved each of the definitely magical elements and maybe not magical elements and how it all kind of blends together because the story is better when it's not strictly fiction and who really cares if it's believable or not. My favorite moment was definitely when Miles told Felix that Sandro talks in his head. I loved the use of the title in the book "I do believe now that when the world tips over, joy spills out with all the sorrow. But you have to look for it." And my favorite quote was "Felix was now half smiling at Miles, and it was making Miles's neck hot and his thoughts hotter. Per usual. He wanted to blurt out, 'I fucking love you,' but instead said, 'What?'" Because it felt so reminiscent of one of my favorite lines in I'll Give You the Sun. I still think that overall I like I'll Give You the Sun more than this one but I'd have to do a re-read to be sure. I definitely liked this one more than The Sky is Everywhere. Overall, this healed my inner child in a way because this new and completely perfect Jandy Nelson book written with all the same elements of I'll Give You the Sun finally being published just makes the world feel whole.

Was this review helpful?

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book is unlike anything I've read. A winding, epic, multi-generational, modern fairytale. The writing is beautiful. The characters are fully developed and unique. The story has grief, love, trauma, family, abandonment, star-crossed love, and betrayal. I enjoyed this overall, though at almost 600 pages there are some repetitive points and times where I found myself wanting the story to get on with it. But overall I am very glad I read this, and I'm sure Cassidy, Theo, Wynton, Miles, Dizzy, and Sandro will stay with me for years to come.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you net gallery for the advanced copy of this book. This was portrayed to be light magical realism and wound up being very dark and centered around intergenerational abuse and trauma, infidelity, murder and a dog that could not possibly exist. Also, the timeline is off. If the dad was a war baby, he would be pushing 80 about now. Not what I expected.

Was this review helpful?

This is now one of my fav reads of 2024 and I keep reccomending it to people i meet and I adored the prose, the characthers and very much think this is a great addition to the authors already outstanding list

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the ARC (that is out now!).

I adored this book! Jandy Nelson has a knack for writing novels that I feel in my bones. The way the story weaved together, along with the changes in POVs, made for an engaging story.

Was this review helpful?

If you are going to read a Jandy Nelson novel, you need to be prepared to be along for a wild ride. There are always multiple perspectives and types of writing. In this novel, you have the three Fall siblings: Dizzy, Miles, and Wynton. They are all dealing with their father's disappearance in their own ways. The book begins with Dizzy, and she's really melodramatic, but I find her voice endearing and fun. Miles is considered the perfect brother (beautiful and smart and helpful), but of course we know that no one is perfect. Wynton is the oldest, and immediately falls in love with Cassidy, who is the character that ties everyone together in different ways. So if you're following along with all of these characters, you also need to completely give into the bit of magic that Nelson employs in the novel. But it's ok! It's actually more than ok because Nelson makes it worth it! I just don't know any other writer with her writing style. I circle and underline phrases in her books all the time. And I never really know what to expect. Of course I recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This book is way too long, the plot feels uneven & the end felt abrupt. I did enjoy the magical realism though.

Also I’m 100% sure that if this was written by a man it would not be classified as YA.

Was this review helpful?

2.5 rounded down to 2.

This is a difficult one to rate. I think a lot of people will fall in love with this book and its characters, but it just wasn't for me. It was a tiny bit reminiscent of Stargirl (which I loved). It had that whimsical, dynamic, mysterious new girl. The main family was completely and absolutely dysfunctional. There were strange and hard to understand stories/flashbacks about the family's origin. The stories were so out there and you come to understand why at the end, but still. The ending twist was so absurd, it almost made completely no sense. Like, no sense at all. I just don't believe a parent would do that. I did enjoy how everything came full circle and unfolded, but unfortunately it wasn't enough of a redemption for me.

Was this review helpful?

Any time you have to devote this many pages to explaining that they "aren't technically siblings", you've lost me. However, I liked the parts of the book that focused on Cassidy and her mother, and I appreciated Jandy Nelson's unique voice.

Was this review helpful?

I loved that this was multigenerational, Nelson develops characters in a way that is unlike anyone else! My only complaint was that it was a bit too long for my tastes

Was this review helpful?

Beautiful story with captivating characters who are imperfect yet they win you over. I have never read this author before but she is now a must read for me.

Was this review helpful?

The Fall kids' father mysteriously disappears in When the World Tips Over, leaving behind a shattered family. Twelve-year old Dizzy reads romance novels, sees ghosts and longs to be reunited with her estranged best friend Lizard. Seventeen-year-old Miles is supposedly the smart, athletic, and handsome "perfect one," but he struggles with his sexuality and lack of connection with his siblings. Nineteen-year-old Wynton is a violin prodigy, who causes trouble wherever he goes. Their mother runs a restaurant and longs for her absent husband, leaving a gourmet meal out for him each night. Enter the rainbow-haired girl, Cassidy who saves each of them when she meets them - two from accidents and Miles from himself. Cassidy has had her own issues with abandonment, which are explored in a parallel plotline. When the kids go in search of Cassidy, catastrophe strikes and the secrets of the Fall family curse begin to surface, giving all of them an opportunity to rewrite their futures.

Was this review helpful?